Wildlife

Smoky Mountains Summer Hiking Itineraries: Wildlife & The “Golden Hour”
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Smoky Mountains Summer Hiking Itineraries: Wildlife & The “Golden Hour”

For many travelers, a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains is defined by a single hope: seeing a black bear or a majestic elk in its natural habitat. However, wildlife in the Smokies doesn’t run on a tourist schedule. During the heat of a summer afternoon, most animals retreat into…

Elk Sightings in Cherokee: Tips for Glimpsing the “Great Big Deer”

Elk Sightings in Cherokee: Tips for Glimpsing the “Great Big Deer”

In 2001, the National Park Service successfully reintroduced elk to the Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making sightings possible today. To learn more about these beautiful and mighty creatures, we spoke to Caleb R. Hickman, PhD, Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.